“Some tests are done inside the hospital, while some are done out of the hospital.”

Dr. Najibullah Nesar, head of the staff at the hospital, said that the new building has not been yet transferred officially under their ownership so far.

He said that discussions about this issue are going on with the Aga Khan Foundation to assist with the operation of the hospital.

“When the hospital was first inaugurated, the Ministry of Public Health wanted to operate it. As the hospital’s expenses were high, the Ministry’s budget could not afford to run it. Several NGO’s and foreign organizations were consulted. Recently, engineers from the Aga Khan Foundation have visited the hospital, but they have not yet taken any action.”

The Jumhoriat hospital was constructed in 1976. With the establishment of the new Afghan government, the Chinese undertook the reconstruction of the hospital.

As the reconstruction work was in the process, the building collapsed due to some technical problems, which caused the death of 13 Afghan workers.

China, then, promised to build a new building for the hospital and equip it with modern facilities.

The building was finally inaugurated in 2009 by President Hamid Karzai.

The authorities are still in talks with organizations to assist with funding the operation of the facilities in the hospital.

Afghanistan’s health sector remains to be underdeveloped despite the influx of billions of dollars of aid.

Lack of proper health care results in the death of thousands of Afghans annually.